


The Secret

by kethni



Category: Veep (TV)
Genre: F/M, Power Dynamics, Secret Marriage, season 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 09:18:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10761270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: Sue put her hand on Kent’s knee. It was a highly risky tactic.‘Are you trying to get around me?’ he asked.‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Is it working?’He looked at her. ‘Thigh would work better.’





	The Secret

‘Levinson?’ Kent asked.

‘It was my mother’s maiden name.’ Sue looked at him. ‘Don’t pout.’

He drew his brows together. ‘I wasn’t.’

‘You were.’

‘Perhaps a very small amount,’ he said.

They were in Kent’s cramped office, sat perched on the desk, and watching Catherine’s raw footage. Some of it was very raw indeed.

‘Why did you tell Catherine anything?’ he asked.

‘She asked me. Someone told her.’ Sue straightened her hem. ‘I shouldn’t have told Selina I was married.’

Kent licked his lips. ‘Why did you?’

‘It was a moment of weakness.’ Sue put her hand on Kent’s knee. It was a highly risky tactic.

‘Are you trying to get around me?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Is it working?’

He looked at her. ‘Thigh would work better.’

Sue considered it. ‘Thigh would be impossible to explain if we are caught.’

Kent raised his eyebrows. ‘One, there is nobody else here and, two, we are viewing stolen footage which shows dozens of breaches of guidelines, procedures, and by my count, two laws. If we are caught, then we will have much larger problems than your hand being on my thigh.’

Sue raised an eyebrow. ‘We are at work.’

‘Yes,’ Kent agreed. ‘That makes it more illicit and, being illicit, more pleasurable.’

Sue put her hand on his thigh. He made a small noise in the back of his throat, neither a growl nor a groan. Something between.

‘Behave,’ Sue said.

‘Apologies.’

On screen, Tom James and Selina Meyer were having sex.

‘That is… unfortunate,’ Kent said.

‘Unpleasant,’ Sue said. 

‘While at the ball, at no point did I see Catherine holding a camera,’ Kent said.

‘Nor I. How suspicious.’

Kent frowned. ‘If I witnessed my mother having sex I would not watch and I certainly would not film.’

‘If you witnessed your mother having sex, your first action should be to call the paramedics,’ Sue said.

‘True.’

Sue squeezed his thigh. He made the same noise.

‘I asked you to behave,’ she said.

‘It’s quite difficult when you do that,’ he said meekly.

‘Excuses, excuses,’ she said.

Kent turned his head. He leaned in a little closer and smelled her hair. Sue closed her eyes for a moment.

Kent leaned back. ‘Do you think this weekend you might come to see me?’

Sue turned her head. ‘Perhaps.’

Kent licked his lips. ‘If you were to move in with me –’

‘No.’

‘No.’ He looked back at the television. ‘Arguably we don’t _need_ the money,’ he said hesitantly. ‘We are already quite comfortable.’

‘That’s not the point,’ Sue said. ‘Money is a way of keeping score. Your mother will disinherit you for marrying me. Marrying me and still inheriting the money means she loses.’

Kent tentatively put his hand on her knee. She removed her hand from his thigh. Kent sighed.

‘In the meanwhile, we lie to everyone,’ he said.

‘We work in politics,’ Sue said.

‘And I hardly see you,’ he protested.

‘You see me every day.’

‘That’s not the same.’

Sue brushed his hair behind his ear. ‘It keeps you keen.’

‘That’s one word for it,’ he said.

Sue thought about it for a moment and then moved his hand up to her thigh. He didn’t make a sound but when she looked at him he had his eyes closed and was biting his lip.

‘I’ll come see you this weekend,’ she said quietly.

Kent released a small breath. ‘Thank you.’

Catherine’s footage came to an end. Sue put her hand over his.

‘She does not appear to have captured anything that would expose us,’ she said.

‘No. Despite the vast array of issues she has documented without apparently realising, we appear to have escaped.’

‘When I come this weekend, will you wear your leathers?’ Sue asked.

Kent smiled. ‘If you like.’

‘Good.’ Sue turned off the television with the remote. ‘Will Selina allow footage of herself having sex to be broadcast?’

‘None of it will be broadcast. Doubtless some “accident” will befall the footage.’

‘I see.’ Sue removed the DVD from the player. ‘Catherine doesn’t know that you’ve taken a copy?’

‘No.’

Sue weighed it in her hands. ‘Shall we keep it?’

Kent tutted. ‘What a shocking suggestion.’

Sue gave him a look.

‘We can’t keep it here,’ he said.

‘I’ll place it securely at my mother’s house,’ she said. She walked towards the door.

Kent caught her forearm. ‘Don’t go.’

‘I don’t like it when you grab at me.’

He dropped his hand. ‘Please. Stay a while longer.’

Sue’s expression softened a little. ‘It’s late. I’m hungry.’

He stood up. ‘We’ll have food delivered.’

‘I said that I’ll visit this weekend.’

Kent touched the back of her hand. ‘I just want to spend some time with you. Please.’

She put her hand on his chest. She stroked her thumb rhythmically. ‘Kent, you know what happens. You know how you become.’

He covered her hand with his and closed his eyes. ‘It’s just an hour, that’s all.’

‘You promised that you would you wouldn’t do this.’

He sighed and nodded.

‘A coffee,’ Sue said as a compromise. ‘And I’ll visit this weekend.’ She kissed him. felt him tense. Heard his sharp intake of breath.

‘Thank you,’ he said quietly.

***

Sue arrived by Uber. Got out a street away. Walked down an alley, and entered Kent’s home through the back door. It wasn’t paranoia. His mother had shown no qualms about having Sue investigated. When snooping hadn’t provided the key to banishing Sue, she had resorted to the blunt weapon of threatening disinheritance.

Kent’s kitchen was utterly spotless. There was the distinctive bite of disinfectant in the air. Sue smiled. He had cleaned up for her.

She made a coffee. It was early. He would be excising. Then he’d have a shower. The water would seep into his thick hair and stream down his body. Following the contours of his chest, catching in the hair, and then sliding down the blades of his hips. It was a pleasing thought. A pleasing sight.

Sue finished her coffee, rinsed out the cup, and walked into the living room. She took off her shoes, hung up her coat, and walked upstairs. The sound of the shower whispered out of the bathroom and along the hallway. Sue opened the bathroom and peeked inside. Kent had his back to her. Sue watched for a few moments, enjoying the view, before quietly closing the door and walking to the bedroom. She took off her dress and hung it up. Then she put on a CD and shook out her hair.

The shower shut off abruptly. After a few seconds, she heard him striding along the corridor. Sue took off her earnings and put them on the dresser. She sat down at the end of the bed and smiled as he threw opened the door.

Kent grabbed her into his arms and kissed her. His arms were tight around her waist.

 ‘You’re soaking wet,’ Sue said, stroking his back. ‘Dry off.’

‘I don’t mind.’

‘I do.’

He grabbed a towel and dried himself so roughly that his skin grew pink. Sue slipped out of her panties and put a pillow on the floor in front of her. Kent knelt down on it. Sue slid her fingers into his hair as she kissed him. His hair was still soaking wet but it was too late to do anything about that.

His hands were on her thighs, her stomach, her breasts. He was warm from the shower. His hands burned where they passed over her skin.

He started to tug at her slip.

‘Me first,’ Sue murmured.

He looked at her blankly for a moment. ‘Oh. Of course.’

Sue widened her legs and lay back on the bed. Kent lowered his head.

She stroked her fingers into his hair. ‘Slower please,’ she said a few minutes later. ‘Gentler.’

‘It’s been a little while.’

‘Please don’t pout,’ Sue said, looking up at the ceiling.

‘I wasn’t.’

‘I can hear it in your voice.’

Kent sighed. ‘I just... I get... I miss you.’

Sue looked at him. ‘I know. Just a little slower and a little gentler. You’re extremely good at that.’

He grumbled something about using compliments against him, but she knew he was trying not to smile.

After a few minutes, Sue closed her eyes. She stroked his hair and ran her foot along his leg.

His right hand caressed her stomach. Sue unbuttoned her bra and guided his hand to her breast.

After a few minutes, she lifted up his chin.

‘Now?’ he asked.

‘Now.’

He slid his arms under her and moved her up the bed. His kiss was bruising but she hadn’t the heart to ask him to moderate himself again.

His face was crushed against her neck, her breasts, and then he was kissing her again. Her nails scored his shoulders.

Sue cradled his face and looked into his eyes as he entered her.

***

Kent liked to lie with his arms wrapped around her. She was sure it had to be as uncomfortable for him as it was for her.

‘I need to get up,’ she said.

‘Nope,’ he said, and tightened his grip on her.

‘I need to use the bathroom,’ she said.

Kent shook his head silently.

She looked at him. ‘If I get a UTI because you wouldn’t let me use the bathroom I will be very unhappy.

Kent narrowed his eyes. ‘That’s not how it works.’

‘I will gladly discuss the finer points of female biology with you after I have been to the bathroom.’

‘You’re coming back?’

‘I’m naked. What else would I do?’

He loosened his grip reluctantly and let her wriggle free. She blew him a kiss as she left the room. She had once thought that Kent was a cold and dispassionate man. She had been roundly disabused of that notion.

She returned to the bedroom and found him checking his phone. He put it away when he saw her.

‘You don’t need to stop,’ she said.

‘I do.’ He caught her at the waist and pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her neck.

‘That was a little rough,’ she said mildly.

‘Apologies,’ he said sheepishly.

Sue arched her back and gently scratched her fingers through his hair.

‘I know that given free rein you would love me to pieces.’

He grew still. ‘That’s not fair, he said softly.

Sue turned around to face him. ‘I know you don’t do it purposefully.’

‘I... I’m sorry. I just...’

‘Shush,’ she said softly. ‘I know.’ She kissed him gently. ‘Will you make me some lunch?’

‘Sure. Sure.’

He waited while she moved, and got up. ‘Poached eggs?

Sue smiled slightly. ‘Yes.’

‘Great.’ He pulled on his t-shirt and jogging pants. ‘Perhaps afterwards we could listen to some music or play a board game. I’ve been reading guides on _Risk_ and I'm feeling confident I can give you a more challenging match this time.’

‘Perhaps,’ she said.

Kent’s face fell. ‘You’re not going to stay, are you?’

‘A little while.’

He bit his lip. ‘You could stay the weekend.’

Sue put on a gown. ‘You know that the longer I stay the harder it is when I leave.’

He set his jaw. ‘Then don’t leave.’

She ran her hands up his arms. ‘We’ve discussed this.’ She slid her arms around his shoulders. ‘If you had your way we would spend the rest of our lives in this house doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and having sex.’

‘Don’t make fun of me,’ he said quietly.

‘I’m not.’ She sighed. ‘This is how you get, Kent.’

He flushed and looked away. ‘I’m trying. It... It’s difficult.’

‘Why don’t you go and make lunch?’ Sue said.

‘It would help if I could tell people.’

‘No,’ she said. ‘It wouldn’t. You were like this before.’ She kissed him. ‘I understand that you don’t mean to smother me. That it’s just your nature. You need to understand that it’s my nature to find that uncomfortable. For this to work we have to meet in the middle.’

Kent held her close and tight. ‘I know that.’

‘Good.’ She stroked his back. ‘I can hardly breathe.’

He dropped his arms and stepped back silently. He was looking away but she could see his face was red.

‘I love you,’ she said.

He looked up, startled. ‘I know. I know that.’

She stroked his face. ‘Then go make lunch. I’m ravenous.’   

 


End file.
